Rose and Robert Shillum bought the 100 acre dairy farm on the Back Concession (now 3133 Burnhamthorpe Rd. West), Palermo, from Fred Edwards and moved their family from Toronto in 1950.

In 1953, neighbour David (D.A.) Wendover, who ran a contracting and excavation business, dug a new pond and new well on the Shillum farm. (See other records in this collection with photographs and information about the Shillum farm pond and well, and other area construction work by the Wendover business.)

The farm had clean water systems in place, but they weren't sufficient for the Shillum family of five. Wayne provides detailed information in his book of the set-up prior to this 1953 work.

The photographs in this record are of creating the new pond, which was the first step in increasing and modernizing the farm's clean water supply.

The first two photographs show Robert Shillum wearing his painter's cap looking at the machinery for soil scraping and levelling. Perhaps the other man is D.A. Wendover.

The third picture shows the family standing in the deep end of the pond as water starts to fill it. By year end, the water was about five feet high. 1954's spring run-off would fill it.

The pond was just west of the house in the front west field. You can still see the shape of the pond near the road. It was to provide household water, barn water and for swimming and skating.

There were two other ponds in existence on the farm that supplied water for the cows and horses when in pastures. It made sense to refurbish these swampy areas while the excavating equipment was at hand. The first pond to be repaired was one in the lane that protruded into the east middle field. The other was in the bush. Trigger, one of the horses, became trapped in the mud of the lane pond. The story ends well but Wayne's description of the ordeal to free Trigger is vivid. They not only dug mud away with shovels and by hand but also used the bulldozer so the heavy work was done as quickly as possible. The bulldozer had the strength to pull Trigger slowly out of the mud.

Notes:

There are 3 photographs in this record, click on "Pages Select" to view each.

Information for this record is taken from Wayne E. Shillum's book, The Farmboy in 1950's Palermo Ontario. Publisher: WES Marketing, cJanuary 2018. ISBN 1987978064, 9781987978063 (Available from Amazon.ca)

The pond was dug in 1953. The roll of film with this photograph was developed in 1954.

This service is sponsored by Jeff Knoll, Local & Regional Councillor for Oakville Ward 5 – Town of Oakville/Regional Municipality of Halton

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Original title:

Digging the Shillum Farm Pond, 1953

Original description:

Rose and Robert Shillum bought the 100 acre dairy farm on the Back Concession (now 3133 Burnhamthorpe Rd. West), Palermo, from Fred Edwards and moved their family from Toronto in 1950.

In 1953, neighbour David (D.A.) Wendover, who ran a contracting and excavation business, dug a new pond and new well on the Shillum farm. (See other records in this collection with photographs and information about the Shillum farm pond and well, and other area construction work by the Wendover business.)

The farm had clean water systems in place, but they weren't sufficient for the Shillum family of five. Wayne provides detailed information in his book of the set-up prior to this 1953 work.

The photographs in this record are of creating the new pond, which was the first step in increasing and modernizing the farm's clean water supply.

The first two photographs show Robert Shillum wearing his painter's cap looking at the machinery for soil scraping and levelling. Perhaps the other man is D.A. Wendover.

The third picture shows the family standing in the deep end of the pond as water starts to fill it. By year end, the water was about five feet high. 1954's spring run-off would fill it.

The pond was just west of the house in the front west field. You can still see the shape of the pond near the road. It was to provide household water, barn water and for swimming and skating.

There were two other ponds in existence on the farm that supplied water for the cows and horses when in pastures. It made sense to refurbish these swampy areas while the excavating equipment was at hand. The first pond to be repaired was one in the lane that protruded into the east middle field. The other was in the bush. Trigger, one of the horses, became trapped in the mud of the lane pond. The story ends well but Wayne's description of the ordeal to free Trigger is vivid. They not only dug mud away with shovels and by hand but also used the bulldozer so the heavy work was done as quickly as possible. The bulldozer had the strength to pull Trigger slowly out of the mud.